HALL OF A TEAM: Hall of Famer John Elway, the Broncos’ VP, has lured future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning to Denver for a reported $95 million deal.Associated Press

HALL OF A TEAM: Hall of Famer John Elway, the Broncos’ VP, has lured future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning to Denver for a reported $95 million deal. (AP)

Forget Tebow Time — Manning Mania is now sweeping the Mile High City.

In a surprising conclusion to Peyton Manning’s first — and most likely only — foray through free agency, the four-time MVP quarterback picked the Broncos over the 49ers and Titans after 12 days of public visits, clandestine workouts, behind-the-scenes maneuvering and nationwide speculation.

ESPN reported Manning told agent Tom Condon yesterday afternoon to begin contract talks with Denver, which in turn plans to trade Tim Tebow to make room for the celebrated 35-year-old passer, despite Tebow miraculously leading the Broncos to the playoffs last season.

Titans owner Bud Adams confirmed the report of the Manning decision, releasing a statement and telling Nashville reporters: “He called me himself and told me he wasn’t coming, that he made his mind up to go with Denver.”

It was a stunning upset worthy of comparisons to “The Drive” by Broncos VP John Elway, although he was obviously helped by Denver owner Pat Bowlen’s willingness — with injury protection — to shell out a reported $95 million over five years for Manning’s services.

Manning, who turns 36 next week and is coming off four neck surgeries, spurned San Francisco despite a championship-level defense and turned down a potential Tennessee homecoming even though Adams had practically offered to hand Manning the keys to his franchise.

Manning also visited the Dolphins and Cardinals, but informed both of those clubs last week that he wasn’t interested. San Francisco’s pursuit wasn’t publicly known until Friday, when it was revealed he had worked out for 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh earlier in the week.

The move was also a shocker because Denver means Manning will have to play his home games behind one of the NFL’s worst-rated offensive lines and in cold temperatures and high altitude after 14 seasons in a comfortable dome with the Colts.

But the Broncos play in the extremely weak AFC West, which they won last season with the same 8-8 record that knocked the Jets out of the playoffs, and Denver also allows Manning to avoid a postseason meeting with brother Eli in anything but a Super Bowl.

Aside from Tebow, who has been described as “dazed” by the Broncos’ furious Peyton chase, Manning’s decision was immediately hailed by his new teammates.

That cast could soon include some of Manning’s former Indianapolis mates in center Jeff Saturday and tight ends Dallas Clark and Jacob Tamme. All three free agents were thought to be interested in joining Manning wherever he ended up.

“To all my free agents across the NFL, I think you know what time it is. It’s about to go down …” Broncos running back Willis McGahee gleefully wrote on Twitter.

Added defensive end Robert Ayers in an interview with Denver reporters outside the Broncos’ practice facility: “I think it’s a great place for him. I don’t think he made a bad decision. I think he made a great decision. Hopefully we can prove him right, and hopefully we can win a lot of games here.”

The question remains, however, just how much Manning has left in the tank in the wake of his neck surgeries. He hasn’t played since a January 2011 playoff loss to the Jets and has yet to throw publicly in the meantime.

Manning’s decision could prove problematic for the Niners, whose pursuit of Manning might end up leaving them without a proven starting quarterback after Alex Smith led them to a 13-3 record and overtime against the Giants in the NFC title game in January.

Smith was so upset by news of San Francisco’s Manning pursuit that he immediately made a free-agent visit to the Dolphins on Saturday and was discussing a trip to Seattle before the Seahawks signed ex-Packers free agent passer Matt Flynn over the weekend.

The Niners aren’t the only ones who will have to soothe things over with the quarterback left behind. As well as the Jets, who gave Mark Sanchez a contract extension to apologize for their interest in Manning, Tennessee has some explaining to do to Matt Hasselbeck and Arizona is trying to make up with Kevin Kolb and John Skelton.